HEBREW 62 Syllabus for Spring 2001

HEBREW 62

Topics in Classical Hebrew Literature and Culture
Midrash: How the Rabbis Interpreted the Bible
Spring 2001

Lewis Glinert
Office: 305 Bartlett Hall
Office hours: Tu. 1-2, Th. 1 - 2

Description

Midrash is the ancient Jewish term for Bible interpretation. In the centuries directly following the Biblical period, at a crucial juncture in history when Judaism and Christianity were parting company, the Rabbis deployed a highly creative method of interpretation probing the underlying existential issues in the Biblical narrative -- as well as drawing from the text the basic practices and customs of Judaism. Down the centuries, this mode of thought has become a key ingredient in the traditional Jewish 'mindset' . Remarkably, meanwhile, postmodernist literary theory has now rediscovered in Midrash a challenging 'new' way of reading text.

We focus on some of the oldest and most powerful motifs in Midrash, the Creation, the Flood, the Akedah, and Jacob and the Angel, and view them through two complementary prisms: First, through a wide range of ancient Midrashic texts themselves (in particular, the Apocrypha, Septuagint, Talmud and Midrash Rabba); and second, through Aviva Zornberg's influential contemporary Jewish reading of the themes of Genesis.

No knowledge of Hebrew or Judaism is necessary, but a basic familiarity with the narratives of Genesis is necessary.

Assessment

Mid-term 1 hr. written examination (35% of the grade)
Two 3-page essays (counting together for 30%)
One final 10-page project (35% of the grade)
The essays and project are to be typed in Geneva 10 pt, double-spaced.
There will also be weekly class reports.

Textbooks

The following books are required and can be purchased at the bookstore:

The Bible (in English translation)
Kugel, James. The Bible as it Was. The Belknap Press of Harvard Univ Press: Cambridge, 1997
Zornberg, Aviva Gottlieb. The Beginning of Desire: Reflections on Genesis. Doubleday. 1995.

The following have been placed on 24-hour reserve in Baker Library:

About Midrash

Glatzer, Nahum. Hammer on the Rock. Schocken. 1962.
Hartmann, G. "On the Jewish imagination". Prooftexts, 5, 1985.
Hartmann, Geoffrey & Sanford Budick (eds) Midrash and Literature, Yale U P, 1986.
Holtz, Barry. Back to the Sources. Simon & Schuster, 1984
Kugel, James. The Bible as it Was. The Belknap Press of Harvard Univ Press: Cambridge, 1997
Kugel, James. In Potiphar's house : the interpretive life of biblical texts. Harper SanFrancisco, 1990.
Location: Baker/Berry Stacks BS/1171.2/K84/1990
Spiegel, Shalom. The Last Trial. Schocken, 1967.
Stern, David. Parables in Midrash. Harvard U Press, 1991.
Zornberg, Avivah Gottlieb. Genesis : the beginning of desire. Philadelphia : Jewish Publication Society, 1995.
Location: Baker/Berry Stacks BS/1235.3/Z67/1995

Primary Sources

The Soncino Chumash, Ed. A. Cohen. Soncino Press, 1947.
Mekilta De-Rabbi Ishmael, ed. J Z Lauterbach, JPS: Philadelphia PA. 1976.
Midrash Tanhuma, ed. J T Townsend, Vol 1: Genesis; Vol 2: Exodus-Leviticus K'tav, Hoboken NJ. 1989.
Midrash Mishle, ed. B Visotzki, New York: JTS, 1990
Pesiqta Rabbati, ed. W Braude, New Haven: Yale Univ Press, 1968
Schwartz, Howard. Gates to the New City, New York: Avon, 1983.
Tanna Debe Eliyyahu: The Lore of the School of Elijah. trans W G Braude & I J Kapstein, JPS: Philadelphia PA. 1981.
Weissman, M. The Midrash Says. (5 vols). Benei Yakov Publications. Brooklyn, NY. 1980.
The Soncino Midrash rabbah (CD ROM)
Location: Baker Reference, CD-ROM BM/510/M53/1995

Syllabus

Readings should be completed by the date specified.
There will be no class on Tues May 29, and replacement x hrs will be scheduled.

Week 1: Topic: What is Midrash?

March 27

March 29 Holtz, 177-204.
Schwartz, 14-20
Kugel, The Bible as it Was, 1-49

Week 2: 'Creation'

April 3 Genesis ch. 1-3
Kugel, The Bible as it Was, 51-82
Kugel in Hartmann & Budick, 77-101

April 5 Zornberg, 3-36
Heinemann in Hartmann & Budick, 41-55

Essay due Apr 8, 11:00 pm: What are the key features of Midrash?

Week 3-4: 'The Flood'

April 10 Genesis ch. 6-9
Midrashic texts (hand-outs)

April 12 Midrashic texts (hand-outs)
April 17 Kugel, The Bible as it Was, 99-120
April 19 Zornberg, 37-71

Week 5-6: 'Abraham and the Akedah'

April 24 Genesis ch. 20-22
Midrashic texts (hand-outs)

April 26 Midterm (1 hr)

May 1 Kugel, The Bible as it Was, 165-178

May 3 Spiegel, 28-59
Zornberg, 97-122

Week 7: 'Jacob '

May 8 Midrashic texts (hand-outs)

May 10 Genesis, ch. 25-28
Kugel, The Bible as it Was, 199-229
Zornberg, 144-179

Essay due May 10, 11:00 pm: Analysis of selected Midrashic texts

Week 8:

May 15 'Biblical Intertextuality: A midrash on Psalms'
Kugel, In Potiphar's House, 173-213
Psalm 137

May 17 'Midrash and the Law'
Kugel, In Potiphar's House, 214-246

Week 9: 'What Midrash Tried to Do'

May 22 Kugel, In Potiphar's House, 247-270

May 24 Dan, in Hartmann & Budick (read just 127-129)
Kermode, in Hartmann & Budick, 179-193

Project due at 4 pm on last day of exam period:
How does the Midrash portray sibling relations in Genesis and is there a common thread running through them?
(Explore the stories of Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his Brothers, using Kugel and Zornberg and any other primary sources you wish.)

Attendance
Regular and punctual attendance is expected. If there are unavoidable reasons to miss a class, please inform me at least a day in advance.

* If you have any questions about this course, you can reach Prof. Glinert at Lewis.H.Glinert@Dartmouth.EDU.

Back to Hebrew at Dartmouth home.

Week 1: Topic: What is Midrash?
	March 27
	March 29	Holtz, 177-204. Schwartz, 14-20 Kugel, The Bible as it Was, 1-49
Week 2: 'Creation'
	April 3	Genesis ch. 1-3 Kugel, The Bible as it Was, 51-82 Kugel in Hartmann & Budick, 77-101
	April 5	Zornberg, 3-36 Heinemann in Hartmann & Budick, 41-55
Essay due Apr 8, 11:00 pm: What are the key features of Midrash?
Week 3-4: 'The Flood'
	April 10	Genesis ch. 6-9 Midrashic texts (hand-outs)
	April 12	Midrashic texts (hand-outs)
	April 17	Kugel, The Bible as it Was, 99-120
	April 19	Zornberg, 37-71
Week 5-6: 'Abraham and the Akedah'
	April 24	Genesis ch. 20-22 Midrashic texts (hand-outs)
	April 26	Midterm (1 hr)
	May 1	Kugel, The Bible as it Was, 165-178
	May 3	Spiegel, 28-59 Zornberg, 97-122
Week 7: 'Jacob '
	May 8	Midrashic texts (hand-outs)
	May 10	Genesis, ch. 25-28 Kugel, The Bible as it Was, 199-229 Zornberg, 144-179
Essay due May 10, 11:00 pm: Analysis of selected Midrashic texts
Week 8:
	May 15	'Biblical Intertextuality: A midrash on Psalms' Kugel, In Potiphar's House, 173-213 Psalm 137
	May 17	'Midrash and the Law' Kugel, In Potiphar's House, 214-246
Week 9: 'What Midrash Tried to Do'
	May 22	Kugel, In Potiphar's House, 247-270
	May 24	Dan, in Hartmann & Budick (read just 127-129) Kermode, in Hartmann & Budick, 179-193
Project due at 4 pm on last day of exam period: How does the Midrash portray sibling relations in Genesis and is there a common thread running through them? (Explore the stories of Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his Brothers, using Kugel and Zornberg and any other primary sources you wish.)